The Sphere blog - News, Industry Insights, Interviews

DJI drones blurring the line between consumer and commercial UAVs

DJI’s Phantom 4 RTK is considered an industry benchmark in regard to what you ‘get out for the money you put in’. Now a proven low altitude mapping solution, the Phantom 4 RTK enjoys remarkable on-board technology for its size and is considered a genuine commercial enterprise solution.

Commercial drone laws

As with recreational drones, commercial drone applications have, excuse the pun, really taken off. Every day it seems a new industry recognises the potential of drone technology to their business and are keen jump on the wave!

Drones: Seeing the forest, not just the trees

There is little question access in and around forest areas is challenging. Large tracts of heavily wooded land has meant traditional monitoring, mapping and surveillance has been time-consuming, extremely costly and often ineffective.

Drones reporting for work in oil and gas applications

There is no question the Australian, and indeed the global oil and gas industry, is being transformed by flying technology.

Farming Just Became Easier with Drone Technology

The Australian agriculture industry has many challenges. Unpredictable weather patterns, crop disease, irrigation issues and pest control to name a few.

Drone Technology to the (Search &) Rescue

In search and rescue operations, every second counts. Traditionally, these operations have been hindered by treacherous and hazardous conditions, lack of access, as well as the need to deploy large, scattered teams creating a risk to personnel.

Digging mining success with drone technology

In Australia, mining success has traditionally been equated to a strong and prosperous economy. However, global competition, fluctuating commodity prices and spiralling operating costs have made mining a more challenging beast.

Drones and aerial mapping – a match made in heaven

The global demand for high-quality aerial data capture is simply staggering. What’s driving this increasing demand is the availability of tools that not only make this job easy and cost effective, but more time-efficient and precise than ever before.

Drone use in real estate and architecture

Drone use in real estate is not new. This said, not all agents have made the leap and are now being overshadowed by their technology savvy competition.

Drones in photography and cinematography: re-defining the traditional

The bird’s eye perspective drones offer, hovering closer to the ground than a helicopter ever could, has been dubbed ‘revolutionary’ by many in the photographic and cinematography industries.

Drones: Communicating their real value

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones have (over past years), been largely overlooked by telco conglomerates and considered tools of moderate or little value.

Drones to watch over us

Drone surveillance is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture still images and video to gather information about specific targets, which might be individuals, groups or environments.

Mapping Drones | Matching your perfect solution

The global demand for high-quality aerial data capture is simply staggering. What’s driving this increasing demand is the availability of tools that not only make this job easy and cost-effective, but more time-efficient and precise than ever before.

Fly unlimited & connected | Tethering systems for drones

Proven in security and surveillance applications across the globe, the commercial-grade Elistair Safe-T and Light-T drone tether systems have already logged thousands of field hours in multiple applications and by organisations and governments in more than 40 countries.

An overview of BVLOS drone operations

When starting out using drones for your business, it’s important to know their capabilities — and limits. Sometimes, limitations aren't technological, but legal.

MicaSense announces the Altum-PT

MicaSense, an AgEagle company, has earned a respected reputation worldwide for delivering many of the drone industry’s most dynamic, high performance multispectral imaging solutions which have become vital to the Agriculture, Plant Research, Land Management and Forestry industries.

The benefits of tethered drones

Tethered drones aren't often spoken about in drone conversations, which is a real shame. Tethered drones offer a unique set of benefits that can't be matched by regular drones, manned aircraft, or from the ground.

French Grand Prix 2019 Security – 4 days, 2 tethered drones, 84 hours of flight

In 2019, the Formula 1 Grand Prix gathered 135 000 spectators and more than 28 000 vehicles in Le Castellet, France. Facing two major problematics of security and traffic jam, the organisers have mobilised 400 gendarmes, 70 firemen, and also CRS, EMS and Elistair Orion Tethered drone, deployed by a French drone security service company, Delta Drone.

Drone Tethers for Emergency Services Applications

The use of a drone tether to provide situational awareness was once the sole privilege of leading military forces who possessed the budget and the doctrine to employ them effectively.

500 drones take to the sky above Syndey in Elevate Sydney Sky Show

In an Australian first, five hundred drones took to the sky to welcome the city of Sydney to the new year with a breathtaking display.

2022's biggest applications for drones: mapping & surveying, inspection, photography

Drone research company Drone Industry Insights has released its latest round of research on the current state of the commercial drone market. In its findings it pointed out the top three drone applications as of April 2022.

Germany: Wingcopter & Merck reach a milestone for inter-site logistics

As the analytical laboratories of German healthcare and performance materials giant Merck do not cover all the required parameters at their site in Gernsheim, special laboratory tests have to be performed at the company’s Darmstadt site, some 25 kilometres away.

DJI releases DJI RS 3 Pro: carbon fibre construction, LiDAR autofocus

DJI has released its latest top of the range camera gimbal, DJI RS 3 Pro, featuring carbon fibre construction, LiDAR-based autofocus, support for manual lenses and more.

CASA's RPAS and AAM Strategic Regulatory Roadmap

CASA has published its RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) and AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) Strategic Regulatory Roadmap which outlines its approach for RPAS and AAM regulations over the next 10 to 15 years.